Racing report
Amazing Race Season 34, Episode 4, "Everyone's an artist"
Film date: 2022-05-30
The last episode was the first half of a mega leg so teams are still racing when this episode starts. Glenda & Lumumba are still at the Ducati road block and the others are driving towards Florence. Apparently teams got a 45 minute lunch break once they were done with the Ducati challenge and before they left for Florence. Once in Florence teams must find Villa Bardini where they will find their next road block clue. Teams did not get a map showing the way to Florence but instead the clue included step by step directions. Also the telecast shows a map which says it is 125 miles from Bologna to Florence. In reality it is more like 125km.
During the ride we hear Sharik explain that her father has done all the road blocks so far because she has anxiety.
"
I'm kind of using my senses to head towards the general direction", Rich is driving and navigating
Teams arrive at Villa Bardini (114km) in the following order:
1(+0) Marcus & Michael
2(+0) Emily & Molly
3(+1) Luis & Michelle
4(+1) Linton & Sharik
5(+2) Abby & Will
6(+2) Quinton & Mattie
7(-4) Aubrey & David
8(-2) Derek & Claire
9(+1) Glenda & Lumumba
10(-1) Rich & Dom, as the first team is leaving
Road block: Who wants a chiseled body?
In this road blocks racers must use the tools provided to chisel out a block to reveal the sculpture hidden inside.
There is an example of what the final sculpture should look like and given that this is fairly detailed and all the racers get is a big block of plaster this task looks impossible. But after chipping away for a bit racers realize that the sculpture is actually embedded in their block. It has just been covered with plaster. So their task is to chisel away all the excess plaster and then repair any damage they have made to the embedded sculpture in the process.
"
I have to make this look like that?", Marcus have a hard time believing his eyes
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There is no way that this is happening", Marcus about the detailed sculpture he needs to create
"
It's underneath", Molly is the first to realize that the sculpture is in there and it has only been covered in plaster
"
You guys have it too perfect, I know it's in there", Michelle when she sees that Marcus & Molly are almost done
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I mean, I was a sculpting major", Molly trolls her
"
After that drive, this is a really great feeling", Aubrey is happy to be allowed to hit something
"
It was much harder than it looked", Sharik
"
Honestly, Rich, I'd rather risk it and take a penalty... This is not what I do", Dom wants to take the penalty (4h)
Rich realizes that the penalty means automatic elimination so he convinces her to try for 15 minutes.
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Ain't that a bitch?", Dom after rereading the clue and realizing the sculpture is inside the block
"
I'm not gonna lie Claire. He's got some bullet holes", Dom after removing the plaster
From their discussions it seemed as if teams were free to select which team member should do this road block but they all selected the person who did not do the motorcycle task.
Teams complete this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock):
| 1(+1) | Emily & Molly* | (2-2) | |
| 2(-1) | Marcus* & Michael | (2-2) | |
| 3(+4) | Aubrey* & David | (2-2) | |
| 4(-1) | Luis & Michelle* | (2-2) | |
| 5(+0) | Abby* & Will | (2-2) | |
| 6(+0) | Quinton & Mattie* | (2-2) | |
| 7(+1) | Derek* & Claire | (2-2) | |
| 8(-4) | Linton & Sharik* | (3-1) | Spent about 1.5h on the task |
| 9(+0) | Glenda & Lumumba* | (2-2) | |
| 10(+0) | Rich & Dom* | (2-2) | |
Detour: Eye for fashion or Window of opportunity
In eye for fashion teams must visit three locations scattered around town. At each location there is a fashion shoot in progress and they memorize what the models are wearing. At the end they must match sketches of the models to the locations where they were being photographed. Total distance for this task is 2.9km and the photo shoots take place at Piazza della Signoria, Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza del Duomo. At each shoot there is 2-3 models.
In window of opportunity teams must visit three delivery windows of local restaurants. At each place they must pick up one item of food (soup, meat and biscotti) and everything has to be delivered to a waiting couple. Total distance for this detour is 3.8km. The windows were originally used during the Bubonic plague but also saw use during the height of Covid.
Both detours end at the same place, on the riverbank next to Piazza dei Giudici with a great view of Ponte Vecchio.
Emily & Molly sit down on a bench just outside the road block to mark the locations they need to visit on the map. Marcus & Michael take the opportunity to pass them.
Luis & Michelle and Quinton & Mattie decide to do the task together. Luis interviews that they were exhausted.
"
Four heads are better than one", Luis
"
Maybe one because we're at half a head each", Luis realizes what he said when Michelle holds up two fingers
The food looks good.
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Can I eat this?", Luis
Marcus & Michael are surprised when they come to the judging part of the detour and they realize that they needed to remember what the piazzas looked like as well. They have to do a bit of trial and error before they get it. In the meantime Emily & Molly arrives just after them and Molly did remember what the piazzas looked like. There are also extra sketches of models differing in small details (like there were three sketches of a model in the same gold dress but with different shoes).
During the detour we see that Sharik is in a bad place mentally.
"
I want to go home", Sharik
Rich & Dom struggle with matching the sketches with the places at the end of the detour so they decide to go back and look at the places again. And when they are back working with the sketches we see Linton & Sharik complete their detour in the background.
Teams complete the detour in the following order:
1(+0) Emily & Molly, fashion
2(+0) Marcus & Michael, fashion
3(+2) Abby & Will, food
4(+2) Quinton & Mattie, food
5(-1) Luis & Michelle, food, just after #4
6(-3) Aubrey & David, fashion
7(+0) Derek & Claire, food
8(+1) Glenda & Lumumba, food
9(-1) Linton & Sharik, food
10(+0) Rich & Dom, fashion
Route info: Race on foot to your next Pit Stop at Piazza Ognissanti.
Marcus & Michael are determined to beat the girls in a footrace to the pit stop. As they run up to the Pit Stop Derek says "
12 hours later", so we can assume that is how long the leg took them.
Linton & Sharik are next to last but still they seem to walk to the Pit Stop while Rich & Dom are seen running, but the latter do seem lost (or the producers are playing tricks with the editing).
Teams reach Phil (1.5km) in the following order:
1(+0) Emily & Molly win Expedia points good for a trip to Sydney, Australia
2(+0) Marcus & Michael
3(+0) Abby & Will
4(+1) Luis & Michelle, at 20:30
5(-1) Quinton & Mattie, jumped onto the mat together with #4 but as Luis & Michelle has a better position in the last leg they got #4
6(+0) Aubrey & David, while the previous two teams are still on the mat
7(+0) Derek & Claire
8(+0) Glenda & Lumumba
9(+0) Linton & Sharik
10(+0) Rich & Dom, are eliminated
Linton & Sharik have a moment on the mat.
"
My arms hurt, it is not worth it, I want to go home. Please send me back to New York.", Sharik
Phil tells them that they are team #9 so they are still in the race. But he also tells them that they have a choice. They can leave the race and go home or they can keep on racing.
"
My arms hurt so much. Phil, have you ever chiseled anything?", Sharik looks for sympathy
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I have", But Phil is not giving any
Eventually she relents and agrees to keep racing with her father.
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It is incredible what this race really does give you, if you allow it to. Memories and truths which will stay with us for the rest of our lives", Dom
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